Leo V of Byzantium

Leo V "the Armenian" of Byzantium (775-25 December 820) was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 813 to 820, succeeding Michael I of Byzantium and preceding Michael II of Byzantium.

Biography
Leo was born in 775 to the House of Armenios, and he started off as a soldier. He rose to become a senior general before seizing power from Emperor Michael I of Byzantium with the aid of Michael Amorios. He ended the war with the First Bulgarian Empire, and Leo initiated Byzantine Iconoclasm for its second period. He eventually fell out with Michael and ordered for him to be executed, but Michael instead had Leo hewed to pieces at the Chapel of St. Stephen on Christmas Day of 820.